When a dozen generals publicly protested, Mr Mesic sacked those of them who were still in service.
Mr Mesic spent several years in the political wilderness but he was never out of the limelight.
Of course, it is not only the style, but also the policies that would change under Mr Mesic.
Mr Mesic's success has been due to a great extent to his personality and style - accessible, witty, blunt.
So if Mr Mesic wins, it is likely to be that Croats simply regard him as more likeable than his rivals.
Mr Mesic says that relations with Bosnia's ethnic Croats must change.
As for the apology itself, which Mr Marovic has now made in Sarajevo, the formulation was remarkably similar to the one he made to Mr Mesic.
Blazevic put his name to a document criticising leading Croatian figures, including prime minister Ivica Racan and president Stipe Mesic, and quit in the ensuing uproar.
But, it says with a touch of bitterness, "only Slobodan Milosevic is on the bench of the accused, while Stipe Mesic is a witness for the prosecution".
His Croatian counterpart, Stipe Mesic (right), responded approvingly.
One of his election posters invited Croats to have coffee with their would-be president and Mr Mesic has been doing his best to put this invitation into practice by meeting ordinary people as often as possible.
Most Serbian dailies also include statements by Mr Milosevic's lawyers, who are repeating their view that the trial is a concoction by the prosecution, and that Mr Mesic has no more evidence to offer than any previous witness.
The governing, multi-ethnic collective leadership at the moment nominally presided over by the Croat Stipe Mesic has given way to a civilian government that, to the extent it functions at all, is entirely subordinated to the communist and Serbian factions.
The governing, multi-ethnic collective leadership -- at the moment nominally presided over by the Croat Stipe Mesic -- has given way to a civilian government that, to the extent it functions at all, is entirely subordinated to the communist and Serbian factions.
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